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That was better! I really liked what they did with this one. It felt far far more character driven. The villains felt a bit pantomime and shallow in the end, the actors were very good but there really wasn’t much there – and the Doctor did defeat them a bit too easily.  But I can completely forgive that because they were just the backdrop to the real story – our fears,  nightmares and doubts. Very mental health focused and personally I thought they handled this very well.

This was all about the companions and a ‘grounding’ of where they all are – shown by throwing them back ‘home’ again and the contrast with their travels – always a great mirror to hold up (when it is done well and I really think this was).

Finally we get more of Yaz’s background! That was really interesting. Also how all it takes is one person’s kindness, listening, advising (even when the person being advised does not want to know) to help put someone on a better path.

Ryan seeing his best mate again and realising how much of that he might be missing. I think he must also be thinking about his Dad – how much his Dad missed by being away when Ryan was growing up. Ryan might be the one to actually walk away from his life with the Doctor – I had not tagged him in this category up until now but I am now.

I also liked there was also a note played that you can’t just wave a magic wand and make things ‘all better’  – played out with a slight comedy twist with Graham trying to open up about his fears to the Doctor and she utterly not getting it and being rather awkward about it.

There were a few points in this episode I saw the 12^th Doctor peeking through in 13. That was really welcome because up until now I’ve thought that era was being a little glossed over.

At one point I thought the prisoner was going to be the lone cyberman – I was convinced the creepy fingers in the spaceship were very silver looking. I loved the way the Doctor was tricked into solving the puzzle / opening the lock – of course she couldn’t help herself!

Lots to look back and unpick more in this one I think (not something I could say about some of the other episodes this series!).

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I pretty much agree with @jimthefish here. I personally found this one very disappointing. For me it fell (as so many have) into the ‘great idea and set-up for a story that was ultimately let down by being poorly executed’.

I was pleased that the environmental issue was done a bit more subtly than in Orphan 55, also the supporting cast were, mostly, FAR better here. Astronaut and husband very good (and I too <span class=”useratname”>@bluesqueakpip</span> first thought they were going to be brothers) – the vblogger less good, I agree with others that she felt a little ‘shallow’.

What really annoyed me that there was an excess of the “stupid ball” being passed about with character actions sometimes feeling like they are being driven by having to advance the plot from A to B, rather than the more organic feel of character motivations driving the plot.

Agree with others that Yaz is potentially heading for a big fall here, like Clara before her she has started to “go native” and is trying to be the Doctor (and that never ends well). There was a lot of good moments pointing this way with her character but for me let down by the stupidity of deciding to risk going through the teleport when the creatures you have just seen were wearing what looks like breathing masks!!!!

Graham got some nice little moments although agree with you <span class=”useratname”>@miapatrick</span> he is bit more comic relief this season. I have to admit though I did find the ‘scanner the wrong way’ gag actually quite funny.

Ryan is also going a bit ‘native’ not being as daftly reckless as Yaz but you can see he is now taking all of this stuff perhaps just a bit too much in his stride. It will be interesting to see where this leads for the three companions.

<span class=”useratname”>@psymon</span> very interesting observation about the delivery of the 13th Doctor’s lines when she is almost “showing her working” (i.e. exposition/plit!) and I completely agree I can picture Tennant delivering the same info but it just being … better somehow. I think he manages to change his delivery of lines sometimes almost word to word (from excitement to puzzlement to realisation etc. and I think Smith and Capaldi were also good at this)  Whittaker can also do this but not quite as quick (not in speed of chat, 13 can certainly gabble just as quick as 10, but the change between the different emotions) and I don’t think it is ever quite as sharp. Which I completely agree means sometimes she comes across as more ‘lecturing’ than educating.

Other eye-roll moments for me that meant I kept being pulled out of the story and so found it difficult to suspend my disbelief were the guy on the beach ‘keeping an eye’ on the birds by .. standing out on the beach completely exposed. Personally I would have been standing at that doorway ready to bolt into cover as soon as there was any sign of trouble XD and the completely obvious ‘heroic sacrifice’.

However the episode did build up enough empathy so that I was really pleased the Doctor managed the last minute save of the policeman. Although of course that opens up a can of worms about why can’t she do that for everyone (however I am happy to let that go as its a consistent inconsistent in Who!).

Interestingly Kerblam! was one of the few I thought worked well last series – oh well, each to their own I suppose 🙂

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Have now re-watched and am now even more intrigued.  Very interesting watching it back knowing all the twists.

First shot is huge close up of Ruth’s watch (i.e Time!) it also has dark blue coloured hands, and the push button to the right is blue as well.  Also when she looks in the mirror, it’s hexagonal! Very minor and subtle things but surely not by accident.

The other thing that struck me when Ruth and the Doctor are driving to the lighthouse and the conversation they have. Makes we wonder if the disused lighthouse is  actually references to that barn on Gallifrey somehow? Although I’m not sure how that works if RuthDoc is indeed a pre-Hartnell incarnation. It just seemed like there was more to be read into that conversation.

I do now think we have met a past version of the Doctor that we (and she) has not known about until now – as all the pointers are towards this rather than alternative timeline or universe. The niggle I had about the Tardis being a police box I now have a theory about – what if RuthDoc and Lee originally landed and hid in Britain in the 60’s and have been hiding out even since and it was at this point the Tardis took on that look. Then after whatever happens to make the Doctor forget her/his past life(s) and then he runs away again (with some old link to the Tardis being a remnant so he takes the same one he had before … or maybe Clara’s echo knew all this!) when he returns to Earth the Tardis remembers and takes on that look and doesn’t want to change because it a memory/link to the past.  Gah I dunno, I’m just trying to think of wild theories to make that make this make sense – if this is going to be what this is all leading too!

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@bluesqueakpip

That is a good point.

I suppose it has indeed been a while since we saw the Doctor do such a thing- therefore they felt a reminder was needed for those who did not know or had either forgotten (ha, see what I did there! XD).  And it is easier to do that with characters in the current story than maybe have a flashback and have to try and explain all that.

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Wow! That was great. One of the best episodes in some time!

Did not expect Jack at all, what a great surprise! When we first heard the voice I wondered if it was him but went “nah, surely not” only for him to appear!  I think it had to be someone significant to pass on the message about the lone Cyberman because it means the Doctor will take a lot more seriously than if it were just some random character we’d never seen before. I always preferred the Captain Jack in Doctor Who compared to the one in Torchwood. Yes he is cheesy and cheeky and not everyone’s cup of tea but I thoughrally enjoyed seeing him in the show again. Also we get a John Barrowman / Bradly Walsh snog – not sure even the wildest of bonkerest of us would have predicted that XD

Lone Cyberman. Danny? Bill Potts? Handles!? … ok so probably none of them but I had an enjoyable few minutes trying to thing up bonkers scenarios where that could be the case.

I really laughed more than I should at the “Judoon platoon near the moon” and even more so at “by the lagoon”. Ok so maybe a bit shoe-horned in there but I’ve always loved that line from Smith and Jones and the glee on Tennant’s face when he says it, so I was very happy for the jokes to be in there!

As for RuthDoc. Did not see that coming, was sure she was going to say she was the Master (or the Rani). Currently I think my feeling is towards her being a pre-Hartnell Doctor … although the main thing that bugs me about this theory is the Tardis having the police box exterior.

Alternative timelines – yep I could buy that as that was set-up as a thing in episode 3. Other universe? not so sure about that one – although we did have the creatures from another universe in Spyfall trying to invade did we not?

But I do wonder if we are being thrown a massive red herring here and it’s someone who thinks she is the Doctor but isn’t (and is somehow been set-up by the Time Lords for … as yet unknown reasons) – part of this is of course what we had in “the next Doctor” but since some themes appear to be being recycled, who knows!  I know the Doctor scans RuthDoc she says they are the ‘same person’ but then not that long before this the sonic scan was reading her as human. Although the veil has dropped, perhaps there is still another veil there that we don’t know about? Dunno, will have to ponder that one a bit more as I suspect I am grasping at straws here.

Really like how the companions are both ganging up on / questioning AND supporting the Doctor. They really are become a close family unit (I really don’t like the “fam” tag myself but I have to admit it does fit them). I have pondered in the past if 3 companions are too many – but this is now showing how this is can work very well with them as a unit.

Jodie Whittaker was on top form in this one. In particular I thought her demeanor and  expressions at the end, going from despair/coldness (when she is disparaging Ryan) to the slow dawning of warmth when they all have her back was excellent. I’m enjoying seeing more of a range from this Doctor this series – not just the (mostly) happy-go-lucky one from last series that just did not sit with me that well at times.

So we have a great set-up for whatever is coming next, my slight worry is still that they won’t stick the landing – as happened with so many good ideas in previous episodes that often fell flat.  I hope I’m wrong though!

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Oops, meant to post in here last week but never got round to it.  Really enjoyed this episode, a huge improvement from the last one.

As with lots of others here one of the sticking points I had was the non mind wipe of Tesla/Edison, which just meant that the mind wipes in Spyfall II really jarred all the more.  I can just about go with the “there was no time travel” reasoning, coupled with that the Doctor maybe knows when it should be done and shouldn’t be done (not that she/he is ever consistent about that, or the writers for that matter!).

Loved them in period dress – at one point there was a shot of Yaz that almost had me convinced for a second or two it was Missy!

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Just a thought: Maybe the Master DID try and interfere in things during his 70-odd years the long way round, but in doing so managed to be the one who foiled all his old plans along the way :D. Just thought that would be rather amusing.

Or maybe Thirteen knows everything was ok because she also lived through that 70+ years when she was Twelve in Bristol … hmmm!

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Hmmm, after first watch have to say overall I was very underwhelmed by this one  – did have great promise and initially the threat of the Dreg was very good but then it lost me with a nonsensical everyone aboard the transport (the only reason everyone seemed to come along was in order to sacrifice themselves rather obviously at various plot points) then seemed to be mostly running about for no actual good reason.

Did not really connect with any of the other cast, the father/son green haired ones just annoyed me. Broken mother/daughter relationship was more interesting but I never really got that invested in it – not sure why.

Searching for positives (because I really did want to like this!) a good episode for Ryan which was nice. Felt he was short-changed in the first 2 episodes. Moment that really made me laugh out loud was when Ryan contracted the hopper? virus at the start the Doctor has the throwaway comment about: just remember the bats aren’t real and then you see him flailing about in the background.

Also liked that the Doctor runs out of oxygen first because she talks too much – that was a nice touch. Apart from, I thought the Doctor was supposed to have some sort of respiratory bypass? Ahhh maybe she used even THAT up with too much chat.

All in all I felt it was an entire episode where we were lectured on climate change and choices and blah blah. And while I do believe these things are very very important I just did not like how it was done here – it felt all a bit too forced.

After such a good start to the series I personally feel this was a huge backwards step.Once again, great ideas, great promise – not executed as well as it maybe should have been. Gah! So frustrating!

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Just had a thought: 5 planets, 5 days …

5 stages of grief perhaps?

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Hello all it’s been a while!  Happy New Year and all that!

Well, wow! That has been a great start to the new series! Much better than last series – which I did enjoy but felt was lacking a bit in a few areas – one of which was a lack of proper villains for the Doctor to face up to and riff-off. This (and to be fair last years New Years special) hit the mark far better! I really feel Jodie’s Doctor shines far brighter when she is up against the better actors/characters. Also the pacing of the episode was much better, the plot and characters allowed to breathe more. Settings and filming are pretty stunning as well. Very good!

Still feel there are maybe too many companions – I do love them all but I just worry it makes it difficult to give them all something meaningful to do in each episode. This 2-parter did get the balance quite well, although poor Ryan seems to have been given the “stupid ball” to hold, mainly for comedy. For me his nerves in part 1 when going undercover were a bit over the top and boasting to the bad guys about their plan in part 2 just seemed a bit stupid. However, these are pretty minor niggles to be fair!  Really thought Yaz  had better material for these two episodes, her getting really shaken when she gets transported to the strange realm but then is ok felt really real. Hope Graham gets a bit more to do in upcoming episodes but you have to love him and his laser shoes! Very silly but very funny.

Main (fairly minor) complaint: I was just really disappointed there was no reference at all to the Missy & Twelve era – I wasn’t hoping for much, just a little throwaway comment would have done! But reading what was already posted/theorized by some here from part 1 that this could be a Master from in-between Simm and Gomez, that could make sense … although possibly throws up more issues. GAH! Maybe I’m just being over sensitive and looking for SOME callback to Twelve as he is one of my favourites and I so enjoyed the dynamic with him and Missy.

Very intrigued (but also a little worried) about what the big lie/secret is now about the Time Lords. Liked the callback to the timeless child as that snippet from last series though – as at the time that line really made me wonder what it meant!

So we now have that the Doctor destroyed Gallifrey to put and end to the time war, then un-destroyed it and hid it away in a pocket universe. For it to pop up again to provide a new set of regenerations. Only to find it again the ‘long way round’ through billions of years of torture, become president (again) and boot out the council before running away (again) by stealing a TARDIS. And now the Master has found out something B.A.D. and got so angry wiped out Gallifrey?  Hmmm … I bet the Daleks are REALLY confused about all this now XD  I just can imagine the tactical sessions:

• Supreme Dalek: We will exterminate the Time Lords and Gallifrey!
• Tactical Dalek: The MA-STER has already exterminated the Time Lords and Gallifrey
• Supreme Dalek: NO! We are the supreme beings and MUST have the ultimate victory! We must travel back in … TIME.
• +++ several sounds effects and swirly things +++
• Tactical  Dalek: We can-not locate Gallifrey in this time period.
• Supreme Dalek: Repeat the procedure.
• +++several sounds effects and swirly things again+++
• Supreme Dalek: RE-PORT!
• Tactical  Dalek: The DOC-TOR has already exterminated the Time Lords and Gallifrey.
• Supreme Dalek:  ….?….

Ohh! Sudden thought – wasn’t it the Hybrid creature that was supposed to stand over the ruins of Gallifrey? Is this now actually the Master? Or is there a link to the lie the Master has uncovered being something about the Hybrid? I know this was supposedly already answered in Hell Bent etc. and it’s unlikely that Chibnall would not have carried across the idea from Moffat – but it’s still a bit of a bonkers theory to throw out there 🙂

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@puroandson !! A very belated welcome back from me – from what I can see you are some sort of hybrid now? Apologies for my belatedness, but I had a complete rush of spolier utter lockdown which involved even not looking on this site about any comments over the last couple of episodes.

I caught the ‘don’t stop me know’, which indeed was the Queen song that ‘Foxes’ sang a cover of in Mummy on the orient express. I also had no who idea who she was, and still don’t. But love the song (both versions).

The other riff I couldn’t place that was bugging me was ‘hotel California’ that people here have already mentioned, also the rose/bad wolf theme.

I think we all need to hug the thread … oh, you said hog…nevermind. Lets all just hug the thread. Well, maybe, I will hold the threads hand …

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I was just commenting to a friend about how I had watched much of series 9 through the slight tinted vision of knowing Jenna was leaving and therefore there was going to be a sad ending along the way. In a way this is mirroring the Doctors viewpoint – as we hear him say a few times about losing her, and also the look he gives her at the end of The Woman Who Lived’. Made me think all the time how sad the Doctor was going to be when it finally happened.

Now, after the finale, when I go back to rewatch series 9 I will be watching it (and indeed series 8 … oh and half of series 7) in a completely different light – knowing that it is the Doctor who will forget the details of his companion!

@tommo Oh … now there was some music I couldn’t quite place at one point and it’s been bugging me what it was – perhaps that was bad wolf/rose. Need a rewatch!

Oh and how good was it there was hardly any dialogue for most of the start on Gallifrey.  Could any other Doctor have pulled that off quite as well?

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Wow!

That. Was. Amazing.

Seeing the old console room made me squee out loud. The doors even made the noise!

I was convinced at the start the Doctor was talking to a Clara echo that he had sought out and that it was her who didn’t recognise him. That was VERY cleverly done.

And the barn! And the Doctor on the bed. And Gallifrey and … y’now I’ll stop there or I’m just going to list every single thing that happened.

But! The Doctor forgetting Clara nooooooooooo! Sooo evil Moffat! Waaaaah!

Although, wouldn’t the best thing to have stopped the whole ‘hybrid’ be for Clara to insist she go back to the alley and die when she was supposed to? Rather than one of them to have to forget the other? Hmmm. But if that had happened we wouldn’t have the adventures of Clara and Ashildr rampaging about all of space and time!

At least it’s not so bad as with Donna, the Doctor still does remember he had a companion, and he does remember their adventures together. He just can’t ‘see’ her. And oh the irony now of that conversation at the end of deep breath when Twelve asks Clara to just ‘see’ him. Ohh … that means she back to what she always was in the Doctor’s time stream, the girl who saves him but he never sees her ! Only just got that now *facepalm*.

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Oh my 😮

That was fantastic! Too much to take in right now. A very different episode, a very different idea. My only slight criticism is it did drag a little bit in places at the start. But Capaldi was splendid in this. The bit when he says something along the lines of ‘but you still won’t be here’ about Clara I think I must have got a bit of dust in my eye *sniff* *blub*.

I had already suspected the ‘time loop’ element reasonably early on, but had thought we’d find out the veil thingy was somehow the Doctor himself. So not quite right!

Loved the idea he retreats to his TARDIS to figure out his plans and loved how we still have Clara ‘helping’

The skulls!!!!!

My brain was already having a major mindsplosion about it all and THEN we see the orange sky … I think I may have needed scraped off the ceiling at this point.

I may need to go for a lie down now!

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@bluesqueakpip no worries. I figured it was a case of posting timey wimeyness and wasn’t deliberate XD.

I agree that future episode titles (and perhaps any specific quotes from people about upcoming episodes?) might be better under approved spoilers. Personally i prefer the discussions and bonkers in this forum to just be based on what we have seen from the episodes themselves and not draw in any conclusions from what people may know about future episodes or the like. I know its not quite as simple as that and as i said before in general in the time i’ve been on this forum it hasn’t been an issue – i just felt it was starting to creep that way. Understandable i suppose due to us rumbling on (too fast!) to the end of the series! Anyway – again just my opinion. Spoilers are such tricky beasts!

@purofilion good idea! I might also see if i can source some dream crabs as well … uh oh, i’ve thought about a dream crab now! Eep! Whats that scuttling …. ahhhhhhhh! *squelch* *thud* zzzzzzzzzzzz.

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@purofilion

Yeah my annoyingly analytical brain goes haywire with any little bit of info so i have to try not and feed it. For example had to really quickly stop reading the last post by @bluesqueakpip as i felt that was starting to go too far (i dunno if it did or not as i didn’t read).

Totally agree everyone is different as to what is a spoiler – its a really difficult one.  Personally i try not to even comment on something in the ‘next time’ part of an epiode in case some people here don’t watch that.

Not sure when i will get to see tonights episode – staying with family this weekend so am not in control of the remote. I may plan on plying people with lots of booze so they fall asleep early and i can take control of the TV! Bwahahahaha!

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Just need to say for me some of the previous discussion has been wavering a bit over into spolier territory 🙁

I didn’t even know the name of the next episode (i mean the one next weekend not the one today – which again i only found out here) and i haven’t heard the Moffat interview as i try and stay away from such things (i have a backlog of about 4 Dr Who magazines i haven’t read yet). Now i realise both of these things i mention above are widely available so to many are not considered spolierish but they are a bit to me.

So a plea from me. Can we try and keep things contained a bit more to discussing the episode and what has gone on before and not speculate too much based on what people may or may not have heard about future episodes.

Obviouly this is a tricky area since the whole point is to bonkerise about what may happen! One of the main reasons i keep coming back here (apart from all you wonderful bonkers people of course) is because i have never felt in danger of too many spoliers but i fear that is changing a bit.

Anyway. Maybe im just being to sensitive about it. Apologies for the moan – i just felt i needed to say what i thought!

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p.s. Was chuckling at how the pathetic troll was by and large ignored due to them really not making an effort! Nice 🙂

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Hi all. Late to the party again for this episode. Apologies in advance for any typos in the following post as am on my phone rather than my pc.

All in all i really enjoyed this epiosode and thought it very clever. Loved the way it was filmed. On first watch i had started to twig something was off when i was sure we were seeing Clara’s point of view when i knew she wasn’t wearing a camera. So i was slightly smug when we got the reveal 🙂

The other thing i loved about the way it was shot is i felt it drew me in, as if the Doctor etc. was talking diect. Especially the bit with the psychic paper – hands up who really hoped to read something!

It was an interesting change for us to start with the rescue group and stumble across the Doctor and Clara. Normally it’d be the other way around. I also was happy there was more Doctor/Clara banter going on – something that has been missing in s9 (compared to s8).

Prefer the Doctors slightly shorter hair here than in the Zygon epiosodes when it was just a bit too manic for me.

Something i noted was a couple of references to things “in the corner of your eye” which immediately made me think of the ‘nursery rhyme’ in Listen. Also doesn’t that also make reference to “Slithering from underneath the bed” which sounds very snake like to me! Are the sandmen going to be the ‘thing under the covers’?

I agree with others here that it seemed a bit off that the Doctor was right beside Clara when she gets taken by the pod. But ive decided to put that down to him just not paying attention.

Overall i found the setting and the way it was all filmed was really spooky. The sleep monsters were probably the part of it i had the biggest issue with but the more i think about it the more i like the idea that sleep crust on ypur eyes is your bodys way of expelling some evil.

I actually didn’t realise this had been written by Gatiss until i read the comments here! I blame that on being too obsessed with finding all the names in that flash of code :). Have to say about robot of sherwood, at first i found that episode quite annoying and silly but very quickly came to love it. Part of my change of mind was when i realised that this was the episode that i finally stopped worying/wondering if i accepted and got the new Doctor and decided to just jump onboard and enjoy the ride!

So far the only Capadi episode i really cannot bring myself to like much at all is still the ‘forest of the night’.

Right thats enough ramblings from me. Roll on next episode – although its all going too fast! Gah!

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Wow. THAT speech. I think the fly that got in the eye of @juniperfish may have got to me too – in both eyes, multiple times (I name them … the time flies!). Have we ever seen 12 more emotional than he was here? And in fact now I think about it  through most of this episode?

I had been very skeptical about Osgood coming back, as I feared it would be a ‘oh-the-fans-like-her-she-cant-die’. But the way it has been done these two episodes I really like. Felt it fleshed out her character a lot more, loved she got a good amount of time to interact with the Doctor in a pseudo-companion role here.

At first I felt the reference to ‘fifteen times’ almost throwaway comedy line completely undermined the drama and emotion we had just seen, aas it left me a be deflated as in oh, you’ve done this many times already. But then reading the view from @juniperfish made me think differently on this, about how frustrating and burdensome it must be to have HAD to do that fifteen times.

Felt Clara was probably put to the sidelines a lot here, but it was necessary in order to give Kate, Osgood, the Doctor and of course Bonnie center stage. But when we did get Clara thought it was very, very good. The nightmarish being trapped in the flat was very well done, but even then Clara was Clara and was able to take control. At first viewing she was very subdued during the scene in the black archive, but I suppose is that a point where she realises she is a bit out of her depth, or that her interfering would just make things worse?

The bit that jars with me slightly at the moment is the final scene in the TARDIS between the Doctor and Clara. I can’t quite put my finger on what but if felt very off – like Clara and the Doctor, considering all they have gone through are actually disconnecting more and more?  It’s sort of like Clara is  becoming more what she considers ‘Doctorish’ and brushing over things, whereas he is becoming less like that. A role reversal from series 8 as it were.  Not sure where that thought is going, will have to ponder more.

Off for a second watch, going to arm myself with a flyswat in case more time flies attack during the Doctor’s speech.

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@kharis Excellent spot on the clothes! Will be very interested to see how things pan out on that.  So very sorry to hear of your recent troubles. I have never suffered myself, but been close due to a family member that has been through depression. It is hard and awful and I wish you the very best. Sending you hugs – in a Clara way that even if you don’t want them you get em anyways 🙂

Also, in relation to what @winston and @ichabod (and others, apologies if I haven’t referenced) said earlier re. pets. These last couple of episodes have hit a resonance for me and been both difficult but in a strange way comforting to watch. We took our two cats in for a regular check-up at the vets last week, one needed a relatively minor operation that we had been expecting but with the other, she had lost a lot of weight that we hadn’t realised and the vet found a lump in her tummy. They investigated and it cannot be removed. Test results on biopsy still to come back but really we are expecting the news to not be good – but for the moment she is bright, happy, living her life and is content. Watching her is sad but also makes me remember how much I need to appreciate all the small moments – something I had lost over the last couple of years just due to reasons – possibly a bit of disengaging from reality and .. ah, I dunno.

So with Doctor Who the timing of the whole arc and episodes building up people who outlive mayflys etc. means that how the Doctor is feeling when he looks at Clara, is in a way very similar to how I am looking at our poor wee cat right now.

I don’t know what the next few weeks or longer holds, but what I do know is that looking forward to a new episode is going to be an anchor and also being on this forum is going to help a lot too. I have always been one prone to not being able to enjoy the moment due to worrying about what might come next. Now I’m trying to change to enjoying the moments when they are there … because they will never come again.

Oops, that was longer and far more over indulgent than I meant it to be but what the heck, posting anyways!

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p.s. EDIT @arbutus so sorry to hear you lost your cat recently (i only saw your post just after I posted this one). It is never ever easy, i give you hugs  -in a rather awkward 12 way cos i’m not good at it either.

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@ramzeppelin I really was planning to listen that time but basically, I didn’t.

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@jphamlore

How fortunate for the Doctor that Ashildr did not decide to accelerate the rate of human progress to get off this rock.

Or, maybe she did accelerate it and that’s why we are where we are now! 😉

Oh and other things I forgot to mention, loved the Jack Harkness reference, and also let out a cheer at the shout out to The Visitation, yay! (in which there is of course a highwayman and demise of a certain implement!).

Got a bit annoyed at the sonic sunglassess in this one, thought the Doctor was wearing them too much and I hate that because we don’t see his eyes – but of course it mirrors the ‘mask’ Ashildr wears, so I’ll let that be my thing-that-annoyed-me-but-will-let-slide for this episode.

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Right – rewatched and with the benefit of being far more awake, enjoyed that episode a whole lot more as I had missed a huge amount of what was going on first time round XD

The bit where Ashildr realises she does actually care made me think of when Twelve has his moment in Death In Heaven with Missy (when he announces ‘I am an idiot’). Ashildr being detached and uncaring has parallels with how the Doctor was in S8, and as she realises she does care she reengages with the world – like the Doctor is more in S9.

At first I was annoyed Clara wasn’t in it until the end, but of course without her in it, and all the build up, we get the emotional impact of what exactly the Doctor is feeling when he gives that sad look at the end.

Very interesting and surprisingly emotional episode. I shall definitely be watching that one again. So pleased my initial reaction to it was off the mark!

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Ok, just finished watching for the first time, now to caveat the rest of my opinion its late, I’m tired and i have been drinking so, future watches will change. Initial thoughts are that I am very disappointed and thought most of that was pretty rubbish and did not enjoy most of this at all. I really hope with a second watch it will make things clearer.

I just feel there was something fundamental really missing from this episode. Not with the acting, that was fab. But the plot and the script, I dunno, I felt really disappointed and let down.  I hope on a second viewing I’ll see some of what I missed.

I liked the last 10-15mins ok, thought it got back on track but before then oh dear. I had so been hoping for a great episode, this I feel it me down really badly.   🙁

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@lisa, @blenkinsopthebrave, @purofilion, @ichabod  cheers! It was a very cool trip. Rewatched Fires Of Pompeii last night. Loved it even more now! No jet-lag, only 1 hour time difference from the UK so no probs there.

Ok, now caught up with comments. Overall I really enjoyed the episode. The scene cut from the practicing with real swords to the utter chaos I found particularly funny. I decided to just not think too hard about the whole eels in northern Europe and the using electricity part of the plan, and let that just slide and allow myself to enjoy it.

I agree that some of this episode felt like there was a bit of padding, but it meant we got some great scenes and dialogue between Clara and the Doctor that I think would not have been in a faster paced episode. Definitely a lot more foreshadowing of bad things!

Highlight for me was of course the throw back to Fires Of Pompeii. I loved they included clips of that episode it gave me chills just seeing those – and as others here have already said, i think it was necessary to show that for younger or casual viewers in order for them to make the link. Since not everyone is an obsessed whovian who stands outside the ruins of a house in Pompeii gesticulating wildly at a name plate and babbles on about thinking this is the house of someone who a character in a TV series was vaguely based on who a few years later then went on to star in said TV show. *ahem* yes, I got some rather confused looks from my friends when I tried to explain my excitement. Yes, yes. It was I who was the mad soothsayer XD

@phaseshift

If Ashildr is going to be resentful towards the Doctor, can we mirror some resentment from the Doctor to Clara? going to be resentful towards the Doctor, can we mirror some resentment from the Doctor to Clara?

I have also been wondering if there is a bit of residual resentment from the Doctor to Clara on this as well. I don’t remember the reference from Listen (will need to relook at that), but in Kill The Moon when the Doctor says “In fact, I’m not entirely sure that I won’t keep on regenerating forever” he casts a very significant glance at Clara as he does so. So I agree there is something underlying there and that his line in this episode about being immortal is possibly a reference to himself and another little dig at Clara.

Now that I’ve got through all the comments, time for a rewatch to pickup on all the things I missed that, as always, people here point out!

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Hello all. Not been on for a bit as I’ve been away – on holiday for my brother and friends 40th birthday trip to Italy. Therefore only caught up with this latest episode this afternoon. I’ve not read through any of the comments yet – will do that in another post later, but just needed to share something first. Bear with me, it’s indulgent and a little bonkers.

First things first. For as long as I can remember, I have always had a thing about (well, Doctor Who obviously) but also volcanoes. Vesuvius and Pompeii etc. being a particular fascination. Given all that, the episode Fires of Pompeii is one of my favourite episodes – it’s one of my favourite Doctors and favourite companions in a setting I’d been completely fascinated with for years. At the time the episode was shown I also loved Peter Capaldi’s character and family. So of course, years later when he is cast as the Twelfth Doctor and we have the ‘why this face’ I have been intrigued to know what they were going to do as an explanation.

And this is the episode we get it, ‘I’m the Doctor and I save people’, along with the flashbacks to Fires of Pompeii. That in itself is a yay! moment linking the old episode to the new Doctor. But for me, there was SO much more to it, although mainly just due to the random coincidence of the timing of when it was broadcast.

This last week I have been on holiday to Italy. As part of that I was at Pompeii, Herculaneum and went up to the top of Vesuvius (all of which was stunning, sad, amazing and intriguing all at the same time). So here’s the thing: Last Saturday when The Girl That Died episode was broadcast in the UK, that VERY day I had been standing on the TOP of Vesuvius looking down on Pompeii. Not only that but the day before I had been in Pompeii looking up at Vesuvius, and had (without actually planning on it) walked past the house of Lucius Caecilius (the character Capaldi’s character was named after, although the real profession was changed for the episode).

The way all of that came together timing wise is of course complete coincidence, but it’s really completely bonkers how it did so. It’s kind of daft how I get stupidly excited how a fictional TV series interacts with me being at an actual historical event, but for me it is also why I love Doctor Who.

Right. Going to have to go have another lie down, my head is just all over the place with it all 🙂

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Just watched this for the second time. On first watch I wasn’t sure at all, thought it was a bit slow and clunky. However, I had absolutely NO idea it was going to be a 2 parter! That was a lovely surprise! Plus, episode set in Scotland! Yay!

On second watch it all fell together a lot better. Like the way it builds the tension and then we get the final shocking image, I love how I already knew from Clara’s reaction what we were about to see. And oh MY doesn’t Capaldi look very, VERY spooky as a ‘ghost’. I’ve got chills just thinking about that look.

The line that didn’t fit at all for me (and didn’t in the trailer either) was ‘I want to kiss it to death’.  That completely jarred for me and didn’t feel right at all. Just … what!?

Hadn’t twigged at all about any links to the Battlefield episode until read other comments here, but I hope there is more – that was one of my favourite McCoy episodes.

Clara certainly has snapped right back into overconfident/cocky companion mode (got a feeling some time must have passed for them since the previous episode). So much so that the Doctor is worried. I do like how the nice little moment between them in the Tardis is played. That little scene would never have been in there if this had been a one parter episode.

Still not a huge fan of the sonic sunglasses, but they work out ok here – although it does make the Doctor look very much as he appears as the ghost with no/black eyes. Wonder if Clara is going to put her foot down after this and demand the sonic comes back!

Looking forward to what the hell happens next episode!

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Oops! I’m very late for the party this time round. Was away at the weekend (shouting myself hoarse at a Scotland rugby game – which thankfully we ended up winning), so didn’t see the episode until the other night.

Have read through best I can all the comments, lots of very interesting discussions as always.

Overall I loved it. Was laughing out loud at Missy & Clara – in particular when Missy tests how deep the hole is by pushing her in. You just KNOW she is going to do it. The ’20 feet’ at the end just makes it even more funny.

Seeing the Doctor in Davros’ chair, and Clara in the Dalek was very chilling. ‘Anyone for dodgems’ was another of my favourite lines.

At some points I do agree with others here (sorry not sure exactly all who, not got time to go through everything and tag you all!) that Clara does get rather easily ‘led’ by Missy and should perhaps question things a bit more. However I’m prepared to let that slide given the rather unique situation she is in (a city full of Daleks, Skaro, the Doctor on what he considers to be a suicide mission etc.). Plus Missy doesn’t really give her much time to think, and is of course an extremely good manipulator.  I have to say myself even watching the episode I found myself completely drawn in and at points forgetting that I really shouldn’t trust Missy XD.

The bit with Clara not able to communicate to the Doctor who she is, for me that was totally believable. Jenna completely sold it to me. She is panicing, she is terrified. This is in no way the same situation as previous times – e.g. when up against the cybermen. At that point she was in control of herself, had full control of her words. Here, she has been plugged into a dalek, has been played by Missy, has just seen Missy run off to find the Doctor, who is obviously in some serious trouble (I’m choosing to believe Clara saw the regeneration energy coming from the Daleks). Then she is lost, trying to find where Missy has gone, then the city is falling apart around them and when she finally DOES find the Doctor he sees her as an enemy, with Missy then making the situation even worse. If Clara had calmly and easily motormouthed her way out of all of THAT then I would have been disappointed  and for me it would have cheapened the scene.

What was so very good here was even though i was very sure that the Doctor would figure out it was Clara. There was a little bit of doubt that Moffat might just pull a shocker on us. That was down to the damn fine acting of all three of them (not just in that scene – in the whole thing).

I can’t quite make up my mind what I think the Doctor knew/planned beforehand and how genuine he and Davros were when speaking to each other. Again, loads of great discussion on this, I’ll probably have to go read through a lot again.

I never thought an episode in any way at any point could make me feel a little bit sorry for Davros! This one managed it.

Intrigued by all the talk of ‘hybrid’ – feels like a plot point that will come up again as the season progresses.

The sonic sunglasses. I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand it’s great to have a change, but on the other I have to agree with what someone else said earlier – it hides Capaldi’s eyes, and I don’t like that. They will obviously be aware of this so hopefully the glasses will be used sparingly.

I’m not a huge fan of the Doctor’s outfit in these first two episodes, a bit too scruffy for my liking (but I do like him with longer hair) – although it does go with the rather haggard Doctor look we seem to have here (understandable in the circumstances). However, what I found in both episodes at first I thought hmmm not sure, but very soon was completely distracted away from that by Capaldi’s performance.

Cracking opening to the series. Can’t wait to see where we go next with it all!

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@ichabod yeah I used the wrong phrase here, Clara being ‘dumbed down’  isn’t really what I meant. It was more she was ‘put in her place’ by Missy (I think you used the world ‘outclassed’ which I very much agree with). I loved seeing her be all super-confident Clara with UNIT and bossing them about, but she (and us) are very much dragged back to reality by Missy. The pet comparison is very apt (short term relationship with a sad ending) as usual Missy is quite happy to point this out.

Ok, ‘buff’ Davros – please, just … no XD.

@denvaldron yes Skaro was destroyed. But here I believe someone (Missy? or the Doctor) says ‘they rebuilt it’.

As for the rest, my personal take is Missy, Clara and the TARDIS are dead/destroyed (for now). BUT the Doctor will escape and go back (via vortex manipulator) and rewrite time so this doesn’t happen. I can’t see this being by him killing the boy Davros – because surely that would cause a potential universe-ending-huge-paradox-many-timelines-collapsing-thing, and destroying the universe would rather defeat the point of the Doctor trying save his friend (now does he say friend or friends here? – need to go rewatch).

The result of all of this will be the Daleks are still created by Davros – since even if the Doctor undoes his cruel abandonment act, there is plenty other scope for some other traumatic event to turn Davros into The Davros. But the ‘new’ Dalek will be changed, so we have more scope for them to not be out-and-out-evil.  A few people (sorry I forget who!) have already mentioned this, so I am just jumping on the bandwagon here.

But all of the above isn’t bonkers enough, and that’s why we are here so here goes:

Bors finds Rassilons CD player (accidentally dropped by Missy) and uses it manages to fight off the influence of the Dalek that has possessed him, then using the special timey-wimey marbles the Doctor gave him, takes the tank and time travels to a future war torn Skaro. Using the tank (which WAS loaded – the Doctor lied) he blasts a path through the hand mines allowing Davros to escape and saving the Doctor from making an even bigger mistake. Meanwhile Davros clocks the tank and thinks ‘neat idea’.

That bonkers enough? 🙂

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@timeloop

Although I kind of see what you are getting at, I disagree. Clara is NOT happy whatsoever with having to deal with Missy – but she has to go with it, for now, if she wants to get what shes wants – that is, finding the Doctor.

I think we need to to remember that just a few episodes ago for us is not the same timescale for the characters. As far as I can see, quite some time passes between death in heaven and last Christmas, and we do not know yet how much time has passed since then until this episode. Clara will have had a lot of time to think about things since then – so I don’t buy the ‘sudden change’ argument.

Even more than that, she is hurt that the confessional dial did not come to HER but went to Missy. She confronts the Doctor about is when they are in the cell (about him lying I think – I’d need to watch it back again to check the exact dialogue) but it is not completely resolved. This is in no way finished, Clara has not forgotten who/what Missy is and what has happened in the past – but there is far more at stake right now. OK, so technically they are currently both dead – but I don’t expect that to last too long. Time can be re-written.

For me the great change in tone was the kind of dumbing down of Clara here. Don’t get me wrong, I too loved her being the stand in for the Doctor with UNIT, that was fab! But with Missy I think it was a much needed slap to the chops of us the audience. We have got so used to seeing the Doctor though human eyes, through the companion and I think we forget how very VERY different he actually is. Clara (and us) thinks she knows him – we really don’t.

That was a real eye opener for me (but not in a nasty hand mine way!)

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Oh and @missy – thanks for the hug! I needed that 🙂

 

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@juniperfish

He knows Missy was the one responsible for putting them together in the first place. And they BOTH came to find him. Plus it was Missy he entrusted his last will and testament too. there is a lot going on there

And LOL to ‘lovebombing’ the daleks. Oh that had me in stitches.

 

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@doctordoctorwho  No idea BUT … The TARDIS is not the only way to travel. Missy and Clara used Vortex manipulators.

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I think I have managed to pick my jaw up off the floor – but to be honest, only to pour a great deal of wine down it.

Oh my! THAT is how you open a series. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the like!

I had suspected Davros so pleased I got that right. Knew Missy was back and Gomez as before was fabulous.

I had assumed the Doctor’s ‘will’ had gone to Clara, but liked the way it was played/explained here – it is completely right it should go to Missy. I agree with @juniperfish about the Doctor/Missy/Clara chemistry/relationship being a real highlight.

For me, what I particularly liked is how it pretty much sidelined Clara’s (and indeed ‘all’ companions) importance compared to the history of the Doctor / Master. We spent a lot of series 8 seeing how we thought Clara was becoming the Doctor(ish) – this shows us how very different the real situation actually is. For me, it’s not what Missy says – it’s what the Doctor says when Clara asks him about this that is the real gotcha here – I can’t remember the exact dialogue but something about knowing her (the Master) a long time.

Once the Daleks did Missy in (and I did not see that coming, I really thought they were going to take her offer!), I knew Clara and the Tardis didn’t stand a chance!

One of the saddest moments for me was seeing Bors with Dalek head stalk! That says a great deal for the writing and acting – that a minor character I only saw in a 6min prequel was what got me MORE than the MASTER, CLARA and the TARDIS being destroyed!

Mr Moffat, round of applause.

Dammit! I’ve spent SO long looking forward to today and now I have to wait another WEEK! GAH!

I think I need a hug! – purely just to hide my face of course.

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Oh i loved that! Especially Bors! Fantastic character – liked him within just a couple of lines.

The Doctors “Attention deficit … something” made me chuckle.

Ah poor Doctor, running from the darkness and trying to put things off. Capaldi is just fab here. Serious to silliness and back again seemlessly.

So only a few hours to go! I would try meditating but i think my attention span is worse that the Doctors!

In the meantime everyone:

“Follow the squelchy!” 😀

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Have watched the trailer again (and again and again and possibly a million times again – cos i am needy, me XD) and am now convinced the he/creature refereed to is davros or daleks of some fashion.

Given my track record, this will now become the thing most likely to not happen XD

But regardless, i do think we are up for an absolute cracker of a series. Last series i think we were getting confused regenerating doctor, which was really good and i really enjoyed it. But THIS time i think we get Capaldi in full PROPER flow.  And it will be magnificent.

If not i’m off to the sisters of Karn to slap them,

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Oh i SO enjoyed that! Capaldi at his best.

Sisters of karn! Yay!

These lines just made me laugh lots.

Why do you always assume i’m lying?

It saves time.

But now totally confused! Although I think most of what is being said is re Gallifrey/Master/Missy, but having been fairly wrong about almost ALL of series 8 I shall just have to wait and see.

To say that I am looking forward to the new series is a rather large understatement. Not quite sure how I’m going to get through this week! *gibber*

I’m off to mediate on a rock somewhere …

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Lol @bluesqueakpip   😀

 

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Damnit! Shouldn’t have mentioned Laser bean – that’s top secret that is! I’ll have UNIT round at my door if I’m not careful.

Hmm, ok time for emergency procedures, Strax – fetch the memory worm … and the gloves this time.

😀

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I just decided the hair was due to the whole dimension messing about that was going on 😉

As for the look of the boneless, I thought in some scenes they looked a lot like a Lidar scan with visible imagery imposed on top – which I thought was pretty cool since it’s 2D creatures trying to be 3D  – which is exactly what a Lidar scan is trying to do!  (Laser bean scanned over area and trying to recreate 3D from the timing of the returns).

Oh dear, I’ve gone all ‘sensor’ again XD

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Hello all!

Have been away from here longer than I meant to be. Would love to have the excuse of not being able to pilot my TARDIS properly but sadly I STILL don’t own one.

Not caught up on all the discussions but just in passing, I am a big fan of GoT and looking forward to seeing more of series 5! It’s the characters that I love in this … although always careful not to get too attached to them 😉

Been on a bit of a watch-everything-with-Capaldi-in-it phase recently . Currently watching Lair of the white worm that @craig kindly posted up … hmmm … interestingly bonkers so far XD.

Right. MUST try and pop in here again more often 🙂

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@cubefox

I guess thanks to you I will enjoy watching the next Season more than I would have without reading another persons thoughts. (:

What you say here pretty much sums up what I’ve found with this forum and all the brilliant people on it. The discussions, the debates always bring up something I hadn’t noticed in an episode, or a different point of view or a different way of looking at something. Ok, we don’t always agree with each other – but that’s part of the fun and indeed the point! 🙂

If you haven’t done so already I definitely recommend going back and watching series 8 after reading the comments on each of the episodes in the forums. I’ve found that going back to the early episodes and watching them knowing how the Christmas episode goes does change my perspective on some of the episodes.

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From the sounds of the above it’s already been dealt with but for the record I also got a PM from jennylv21 yesterday.

I also second (or third or whatever count we’ve got to) not removing the PM function if at all possible.

@fatmaninabox if you like we could all spam you a PM saying we love your profile and could you send us your e-mail address, bank details and credit card numbers  😉

*KIDDING*

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@cubefox No problem! We are all allowed to have bad days – I hope whatever the unfortunate things that happened that day got sorted/better for you.

I  don’t think you insulted anyone (certainly not me), just that with that sudden outburst I’m afraid you opened yourself up for some very sarcastic retorts – I’m afraid I couldn’t help myself ;).

Everyone is, of course, allowed their opinion and not everyone is going to like every single companion. What you’ve written there explains a lot more clearly (than your initial vent) why you were dissapointed with Clara. To a certain extent I do agree with you, I did not like the way she was starting to act in the last few episodes, similarly in some episodes this year I really haven’t liked the way the Doctor has acted either. However, now being able to look back over the entire run of this series and saw what it was building up to for Christmas I think it’s been really good. It’s a Doctor/companion dynamic we really haven’t seen.

The 10th Doctor certainly showed his emotions, but then when he ‘fell’, he fell hard (Waters Of Mars) – perhaps he ‘cared’ too much. 11 certainly still showed his emotions as well…but 1000 years on Trenzalore must have taken their toll.

What we have with 12 is the Doctor scaled right back to his core, he still cares he just shows it in a different way. I think it’s a welcome change from the more emotional/human Doctors 10&11. Don;t get me wrong, I loved David Tennant’s Doctor – but I did start to get annoyed with the Doctor become a bit too ‘humanised’

With Clara I have come a full 180degrees with her. In her first series with Matt Smith I really didn’t like her at all I thought she didn’t work at all – the only two episodes where that wasn’t the case was the Dalek one and the Snowmen one – but then she is playing her echos, not the real Clara. However, then Capaldi comes along and *BANG* completely different dynamic and chemistry that just works brilliantly I think. So now Clara is fast becoming one of my favourite companions of all time! Of course, we need to see what happens in series 9.

Hope you continue to join in the discussions – a good way to practice your English 🙂

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@barbaralefty  Eep! Sorry. Sitting nicely, waiting for a biscuit – good dog spider 😉

Looking again, it’s maybe not stuff from the full 60s trailer (although I think there are snippets) the one I’m really meaning is one of the ones released before the main trailers. These seemed to be called ‘teasers’ rather than trailers, and the one I’m really thinking of is the ‘I see into your soul’ one, below is a link to it on the BBC webpage.

PLEASE NOTE: I’m pretty sure this is cannot be a spoiler thing since it quite clearly labeled as being for series 8 which we have seen now, but if any one isn’t sure about it please don’t click!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0225wyr

I don’t remember seeing THAT, do you? Which is annoying cos I kept wondering when/why it would happen! Meh.

(\(\;;/)/) *waiting happily for good spider biscuit* (but possibly about to get thwacked across the nose with a newspaper)

 

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Ok, not quite sure where best to pose this question, but since Last Christmas was the finale of Series 8 (well, I consider it to be the real finale) I shall put it here and let our gracious mods kick it elsewhere if necessary 🙂

So, having now seen all of the episodes and then looking back at the various trailers for Series 8 before any episodes aired I can’t help but notice there are some scenes that have never actually appeared in any of the episodes. I won’t go into detail here in case the reason is because there are things still to appear next series!? (do they even do that?) and therefore it could be some sort of timey wimey spoiler and i get melted with acid.

Anyway, this is really bugging me! Gah! Why put stuff in the trailer if it’s not going to be in an episode for the series you are trailing – or am I going completely barking mad.

(\(\;;/)/)  *woof*    (that’s a spider, barking… so mad, barking mad you see? No? Ah, ok, I’ll get me coat…)

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@elbalk-kev  As already said I think others here have already summed it up. I basically don’t agree with most of what you say, but you do make some good points and I myself have rolled my eyes countless times at the bad science in Doctor Who. In particularly recently Kill The Moon and Forest Of The Night which just pushed things over the top over disbelieving for me.

But to call it originally a ‘children’s program’ and then the ‘thinking persons sci fi show’?  I think now, as always, that is what it has been, it has been both of these and so much more. Ok sometimes the writing has not been great, ok sometimes the sets have let it down but the IDEAS behind the stories… THAT is what makes the show.

But…Internal logic respected? Oh my, I nearly spat my wine out at this point. The show is so riddled with inconsistencies. There is NO science and NO logic in Doctor Who if one views it over it’s entire run. That is both the reason I HATE it and LOVE it in equal measure (I am a partially OCD Engineer who pays too much detail to things and stuff!).

No budget and no special effects? Seriously? Do you have any idea how much the BBC spends on this!?

I think one of my favorite quotes from Moffat was something along the lines that you “had to keep it complicated enough for the kids, but simple enough for the adults to understand”.

I love that 🙂 pity I don’t think you got it.

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Happy New Year to all when  it comes (or if indeed it has already gone!).

A few hours to go for me yet – will be happily watching the Edinburgh fireworks on the tele with my Mum, Dad and Brother while sitting by a warm stove with an extremely large glass of Whisky.

@lisa  LOL nice link, not sure I’ll be able to come with some of those costumes but I shall be wearing my Tardis T-shirt and my little 10th Doctor action figure will be watching the celebrations too!

So pleased to have found and taken part in this forum this year, have had a great time. Looking forward to all the bonkers in 2015! 🙂

Slange Var!

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@barbaralefty  I had the same reaction as you XD arise sir War Doctor indeed!

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Yep, I got a @jennylve PM too. Seemed very fishy to me! (apologies to all fish based lifeform names here!)

To campfires, as far as I know in registered campfires in Scotland they have rules. But I have also camped other places where there were no rules .. often they were the best fun. Once, on a beach we found a railway sleeper to fling on the fire, that was pretty awesome 🙂

At my parents we used to have an open coal fire back in the day, now is a lovely wood burning stove.

As for watching stuff through the gap, whatever is chosen I  shall try to keep up! But my recent failure to post much between end of Series 8 and Xmas does not bode well for that …shame on me! XD. I do like the idea of three faces of Capaldi though – have watched back fires of Pompeii (one of my favourite DT episodes) but never really torchwood, as someone else said, It never really quite ‘got’ me as I thought it should have.

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@purofilion Cheers 🙂 Know anywhere they sell ‘listening and patience’ cheap? I probably need to stock up myself 😉

Yeah, quite right I haven’t been around for a bit. After Series 8 finished I kept meaning to pop back in and say hello in the forums, and also join in with the watching old episodes thread but it all just got a bit hectic – not with work actually finished up there waaaay back on the 12th Dec. Has just been Christmas and family things keeping me busy and distracted.

Each year one of the things I do is sort through all the photographs I’ve taken that year and put them together as a big slideshow on a DVD for my Granny. And I take a LOT of photographs so is quite a big job to pull that all together (~1300 photos this year – and that’s the sorted lot). Each year I say…THIS time I shall sort thing out earlier. and EACH year, I have an epic fail and a hectic week of photo sorting (not to mention fighting with the stupid software!). XD

But, pulling it back to Who topics, the theme of ‘last Christmas’ in the episode was both sad and good. Everytime I do my photographs for my Granny I do wonder if  next year I will be doing them for her (she is 93 and going strong but you just never know). I try not to dwell on the ‘oh this time next year…’ because I should be appreciating what i have NOW, not worrying about the inevitable, but it just is something I can’t help thinking about. I thought the scenes with Clara and Danny really were good on this – how we always wish we could have just five more minutes, but how difficult that would actually be. And how whatever, you at some point have to accept things no matter how difficult.

Think I may have to go and watch the episode again now, getting a tangerine and a whisky for this one 😉

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